Leonie Maree Doyle, convicted accessory to manslaughter of Michael McCabe returns to Townsville Supreme Court for breaches

A woman previously convicted of her involvement in the death of her cousin, Michael McCabe who was brutally killed at Crystal Creek has returned to court for breaching her parole orders.

Michael McCabe murder trial. Leonie Maree Doyle. Picture: Zak Simmonds

A woman involved in the brutal killing after the fact, of a man whose body was left at Crystal Creek after having rocks thrown at him has returned to court for breaching her parole sentence.

Leonie Maree Doyle was convicted of accessory to manslaughter in 2019 after it was proved she helped cover up the murder of her cousin Michael McCabe by booking a hotel room under her sister’s name and telling people she had been in contact with McCabe after he died to deflect people knowing of his death.

Brent Malcolm Huxley, who Doyle was in a relationship with at the time was convicted for McCabe’s murder.

Justice David North sentenced the now 30-year-old woman to four years jail suspended after serving 16 months for an operational period of four years, which was set to expire on September 18, 2023.

Crown prosecutor Shannon Sutherland said the woman committed 10 property and drug-related offences while serving the operational period between January 16 to January 20, 2023.

Doyle appeared in Townsville Supreme Court on Thursday morning via video link from the Ipswich Magistrates Court.

Michael McCabe

She was placed on 12 months probation, sentenced to four years jail wholly suspended for 12 months that is expected to expire in May 2025 and since then has failed to report to probation during that order.

“It’s clear the original offending is extremely serious,” Ms Sutherland said.

“The breaching offences are of a different nature and committed in the last nine months of the operational period. It’s concerning that she continues to use drugs.”

Defence barrister Ross Malcomson instructed by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island Legal Services said it was evident his client needed more assistance in dealing with ongoing issues.

Justice Lincoln Crowley agreed the breaching offences were not as severe as the original offending and suggested imposing a sentence that would encourage Doyle’s rehabilitation in a supervised way was appropriate.

He said it would be unjust for the woman to serve the entire remaining jail sentence of two years and eight months.

She was sentenced to a suspended sentence of 18 months, released on immediate parole.

Originally published as Leonie Maree Doyle, convicted accessory to manslaughter of Michael McCabe returns to Townsville Supreme Court for breaches